Hiba Yazbeck
Hiba Yazbeck is a seasoned finance and accounting executive with nearly three decades of experience leading corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, business transformation, and strategic growth initiatives across the automotive and manufacturing industries. Currently serving as Head of Finance and Accounting, North America at MAHLE, she oversees high-impact financial operations, corporate strategy, risk management, and organizational transformation efforts for the region. Throughout her career, she has built a reputation for combining analytical expertise with visionary leadership, successfully leading multi-billion-dollar acquisitions, restructuring initiatives, and finance transformation programs while developing high-performing teams capable of sustaining long-term operational excellence.
Prior to joining MAHLE, Yazbeck held leadership positions at ZF Group, Arthur Andersen, and Hayes Lemmerz International, where she specialized in financial reporting, SEC compliance, auditing, consolidations, and corporate finance. Her expertise spans corporate finance, M&A, finance transformation, SEC reporting, auditing, and strategic business development. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Accounting from Lebanese American University and an MBA from University of Warwick - Warwick Business School, with a concentration in mergers and acquisitions. In addition, she is both a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Management Accountant (CMA), credentials that further underscore her deep technical and strategic financial expertise.
Beyond her corporate accomplishments, Yazbeck is deeply committed to sustainability, philanthropy, and community impact. Inspired by her journey as a stage II breast cancer survivor, she founded Shifting Gaia, a platform dedicated to promoting conscious consumerism, ethical brands, and environmentally responsible living. She also co-founded Courage to Fight Breast Cancer in collaboration with Lebanese American University to raise awareness and support early breast cancer detection initiatives for women in underserved communities. In addition, she has spent years supporting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital fundraising efforts, helping generate significant support for pediatric cancer research and patient care. Recognized for both her professional leadership and humanitarian contributions, Yazbeck continues to champion purpose-driven leadership that bridges finance, sustainability, and social impact.
• Certified Management Accounting
• International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Certificate
• Marketing Strategy for Business Leaders Certificate
• Certified Public Accountant
• Warwick Business School (University of Warwick) - MBA
• Top 50 Women Leaders of Detroit 2024
• Heart of St. Jude Award for Pediatric Cancer
• Rise Like Phoenix Award
• Woman of Outstanding Leadership Award
• Alumni Honors Award
• AICPA
• MICPA
• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (since 2008)
• Lebanese American University
• Shifting Gaia
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my perseverance, dedication, persistence, courage, and resilience. These qualities have been the foundation of everything I've accomplished throughout my nearly 30-year career. My unwavering commitment to these values has allowed me to overcome significant challenges, including moving to a new country where my undergraduate degree wasn't initially recognized, and rebuilding my life after facing serious health issues while continuing to lead by example and provide the same level of expertise. It's this combination of never giving up, staying dedicated to my goals, having the courage to face adversity, and bouncing back from setbacks that has truly driven my success.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is to always be authentic. I’ve learned that genuine relationships, trust, and long-term success are built when you stay true to who you are rather than trying to fit into someone else’s expectations. Authenticity allows me to lead with confidence, communicate honestly, and bring my unique perspective and strengths into every opportunity.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The advice I would give to young women entering my industry is to have high integrity, hold themselves accountable, and always take initiative. Integrity is the foundation of everything you do in finance and accounting, where trust and ethical behavior are paramount. Holding yourself accountable demonstrates professionalism and builds credibility with your colleagues and clients. And taking initiative shows leadership potential and drives your career forward. These three principles have been essential to my success, and I believe they are critical for any woman looking to build a meaningful and impactful career in this field.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are compassion, empathy, integrity, transparency, accountability, resilience, and leading by example. Being compassionate and empathetic allows me to connect with people on a human level and understand their perspectives and challenges. Integrity, transparency, and accountability form the ethical foundation of how I conduct myself professionally and personally. Resilience has been crucial in overcoming the significant challenges I've faced, including rebuilding my life after health issues while continuing to perform at a high level. And leading by example ensures that I don't just talk about these values but actually live them every day, which has been essential in building a team that can function effectively even in my absence.